The Destiny of Malaysia

Spoken like a Malaysian: The Destiny of Malaysia

I am Malaysian. I cannot be anything else. After all, my paternal grandfather and grandmother were both born in the very early 1900’s in what would then have been the Federated Malay States…the destiny of Malaysia lies in our hands. The future of our beloved nation is our responsibility.–Dharm Navaratnam

I was born 10 years after Merdeka so I wasn’t privy to the feelings that my parents or the older generation would have felt when the country gained independence from the British. It must have been an amazing feeling to witness the birth of a new nation.

For those of my generation and after, we have always belonged to an independent nation, a nation called Malaysia. I am Malaysian. I cannot be anything else. After all, my paternal grandfather and grandmother were both born in the very early 1900’s in what would then have been the Federated Malay States.

Some stories have it that my great-grandfather was born in this land as well but I can’t verify that. At the very least, I am thus a third generation inhabitant of this country. My roots certainly go very deep in this land.

I have not only watched this nation grow but I have grown with it. I have seen how the country has evolved and how things have changed. Some for the better and some for the worse.

In terms of development, we seem to have made huge strides but at the same time the developments seem to be centred around the urban areas of the country. There are still many areas, especially in the East Coast and East Malaysia that are still far from developed.

Petronas Twin Towers–A Mahathirian edifice–in the distant background. Poverty amidst urban affluence is not sustainable. The NEP should be about fostering Unity, achieving economic and social justice and building national resilience, not Malay kleptocracy. Why can’t we work toward a Vision of a United and harmonious nation. Of course, we can if we care enough for the future of our grandchildren. It then becomes a question of individual and collective wills.

Diversity is our strength. Ethnicity is our road to perdition. We must never forget this, if we are to avoid being manipulated by our irresponsible politicians in UMNO and our political opposition.–Din Merican

We have the tallest Twin Towers in the world, huge shopping malls, large airports and we even host Formula 1 races. At the same time however, we have fellow Malaysians living in rundown houses, some with no access to clean water, barely making ends meet and worried where their next meal is coming from.

This is the reality of the situation. There is somehow a wide imbalance in the socio-economic structure of our country.

As far as education goes, there never seems to be anyone satisfied with our education system. So much so, we have so many different types of schools. The list includes national schools, vernacular schools, religious schools, technical schools and residential schools. Then you have schools that get more funding depending on whether they are classified as high-performance schools or cluster schools of excellence. Throw in private schools and international schools and you have an even more complicated system. What about home schooling then?

National Unity: A Farce

In terms of unity there seems to be two schools of thought. Many of the general public feel that we are united. However, if you read the newspapers there seems to be someone or the other spewing racial vitriol almost every week, if not every day.

Why is there so much emphasis on race when we are all one people? Why are we so fearful of our fellow Malaysians just because they look different?

Surely we have spent enough time together to understand and accept each other. We are, after all, supposed to be Malaysian.So, enough of playing this race card. Kind of makes a mockery of the National Day theme Sehati Sejiwa.

Olympic medals

They are Malaysians (without Race)

In sports, where we were once a superpower in Asian football and world hockey, we seem to struggle greatly in those sports now.

Fortunately we still seem to perform at badminton and have made inroads in diving and cycling. From the days where we only dreamt of taking part in the Olympics, we now are able to count how many medals we have won, notwithstanding the elusive gold medal that has yet to be achieved.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Bapak Malaysia

While many of us complain about the state of the country and how much better it could be, I am inspired by the words of Tunku Abdul Rahman (above) in his Merdeka Speech at Stadium Merdeka 59 years ago.

“But while we think of the past, we look forward in faith and hope to the future; from henceforth we are masters of our destiny, and the welfare of this beloved land is our own responsibility. Let no one think we have reached the end of the road. Independence is indeed a milestone, but it is only the threshold to high endeavour – the creation of a new and sovereign state. At this solemn moment therefore I call upon you all to dedicate yourselves to the service of the new Malaya. To work and strive with hand and brain to create a new nation, inspired by the ideals of justice and liberty – a beacon of light in a disturbed and distracted world.”

There are many things that we can find fault with but at the same time there is plenty to be thankful for. Let’s not forget that. So complain about the country all you want but don’t just complain. Do something, however small it may be. Make a difference.

Ultimately it is not the government that decides the future of this country. In truth, the destiny of Malaysia lies in our hands. The future of our beloved nation is our responsibility.

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9 thoughts on “The Destiny of Malaysia”

I was born in 1931 when Malaya could be said to be truly for Malayans. For the past 80 odd years I have witnessed and have been involved and contributed to some small extent to the building up of Malaya to become the Federation of Malaya in 1957 and Malaysia in 1963, and unfortunately to what it is to-day. However,no matter what it has become, I have always regarded Malaysia as my home and I have never wanted to leave this country although I am sad to see what has been happening over the years.

Malaya was truly good for its people in the good all days . There were then already special perks and privileges accorded to the Malay community but these were accepted by the other races. It was from 1969 that other races began to be more sidelined from various aspects of Malaysian life which are regarded y some people as over-excessive. My only wish before I die is to see Malaysia going back to the good old days when people of all races lived and worked in peace, respect for one another, unity and harmony.

One aspect of Malaysian life which has kept me worried for many years now is the increasing number of unemployed university graduates. I have always advocated care over this matter because it could result in various social and economic problems for the country if it were left left unchecked. The government must discontinue with its “quantity over quality” policy in higher education. Unfortunately, it has continued without stop as more and more public and private universities are established.

Why?
Because Malaysia practiced corrupt policies since day one for 59 years, like NEP … with absolutely power that corrupt absolutely to the core of majority !

The absolutely power could not help the Malays majority but corrupt to their core.

Despite the absolute power and privileges accorded to Malays, our Malay brothers with its majority in number could not even get a medal at Rio 2016 Olympic for Malaysia. Instead, it is the marginalized minority Malaysians who won the medals;
Check the facts: Money, culture and the chase for Olympic gold https://right-waystan.blogspot.my/2016/08/the-chase-for-olympic-gold.html

Practice meritocracy is the only right-way to move forward for all race and eliminate corruption!

The future Malay leaders of UMNO Malaysia think that “the struggle” justify criminality and destruction of institution and sound governance and the best of them think that they can make excuses that insult the intelligence of the average Malaysian because we cannot hold them accountable..The destiny of that Malaysia is simply mutual destruction, its just a matter who is better to protect themselves before it happens..

@rightways
“…Because Malaysia practiced corrupt policies since day one for 59 years, like NEP …”
NEP is not a corrupt policy; the manner of its implementation was corrupt. I am all for helping the less fortunate in society. In any society, if the gap between the ‘haves’ & the ‘have-nots’ grows too wide, social unrest will come about. In M’sia, where the social/economic disparity can be observed along racial line, that is even worse.

“…Despite the absolute power and privileges accorded to Malays, our Malay brothers with its majority in number could not even get a medal at Rio 2016 Olympic for Malaysia. Instead, it is the marginalized minority Malaysians..”
Please do not turn this into a racial matter. Team M’sia received contributions/help from all races (LCW’s coaches are Malay.) Just be happy M’sians have notched up some medals.

Rightways, I also have the same problem like HT Low when reading your comments, even when “don’t read me word by word, in context please”. Somehow the words and the context all lead to the same conclusion, ‘racist’ in nature and very mischievous.
I can’t associate the “absolute power and privilege accorded to Malays” to winning a medal at the Olympics. The winners are all Malaysians and if I recall correctly the cyclist silver medalist was a Malay from Trengganu.

‘Absolute’ power ‘Corrupt absolutely’. the results: Malaysia now leading in corruption index, car theft, lacking in innovation and productivity, could not get even a silver medal despite its majority, not to mention vision 2020?

No point to have policies like NEP…etc if you can’t do it properly, just useless writings, talks and shouts, only know how to implement by corrupt ways. So, it is corrupt policies that corrupt everybody not just Malays but all Malaysians.